This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
Generally, interactive games or interfaces are limited to use on TV, computer screens, or conventional (digital video projections) and perform best in dimmed light conditions of a living room. To date, daylight or direct sunlight has not yet been consequently explored for the use in display or entertainment systems. In most video game applications, for example, direct sunlight interferes with, rather than supports, video displays and (motion-sensing) systems. On one hand, this latent incompatibility of sunlight with the performance of interactive media systems promotes an indoor media culture. As a result, physical outdoor activities often conflict with video gaming activities. On the other hand, people who do want to use interactive media systems in outdoor environments, for example to play video games (e.g. location based street games) rely on small displays of mobile devices and/or wearable technology with which they often “screen” the physical environment out rather than to fully engage with it.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide an interactive media experience that is not limited to indoor applications. Moreover, there exists a need to provide an interactive media experience that can naturally co-exist and augment the physical environment in which it is used to create an immersive location-based (or site-specific) interactive experience that is encumbered by any wearable technology. Furthermore, there exists a need to provide an interactive media experience that is capable of employing natural sunlight as the operable light source for the media experience. Still further, there exists a need to provide an interactive media experience that can be used in both sunlight and artificial light applications.
In accordance with the principles of the present teachings, an interactive projection system for outputting illuminated indicia upon a projection surface is provided having advantageous construction and method of use. A detection system is provided that is operable to detect both stationary and movable features. A control system is operable to determine the position of the stationary and movable features from sensors such as, but not limited to, imaging sensors and the position of the light source. A reflective device reflects light from a light source (natural and/or artificial) upon the projection surface as the illuminated indicia. A drive system moves the reflective device, thereby moving the illuminated indicia across the projection surface in response to control system thereby simulating the stationary feature on the projection surface as a physical boundary to the illuminated indicia and simulating the movable feature contacting the illuminated indicia.
In some embodiments of the present teachings, an interactive projection system is provided which enables one or more players to play a full body game, in which one or several moving sunlight reflections (or focused video or laser projections) serve as the target and the street or other outdoor/indoor surface serves as the screen. Through motion sensing technology, players, such as pedestrians or animals, can interact with the projected target as physical beings unencumbered by screens or controllers. The player can “contact” the projected target with their hands, feet, or the associated shadow cast by their body or limb. In some embodiments, the players can play with each other by bouncing it off the hands, feet, or associated shadow, and/or by bouncing it off either naturally occurring physical structures (curbs, road markings, or other delineations) or predefined artificial boundaries. In some embodiments, the interactive projection system is self-powered, such as via solar energy. In the case of solar-powered installation, the control system is also operable to determine the amount of power generation, consumption and storage, thus adjust operation time accordingly.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.